Today we have three new prints to share with our OPG blog readers. These food-inspired chromolithographs were published by L. Upcott Gill, a London-based firm, in the late 1890s. Lithographed by Mclagen and Cumming, these prints are deliciously colorful and offer fascinating insight into the food culture of the late 19th century. All “artistically” arranged, the cakes, desserts, and entrée dishes are a dramatic visual display of the meals a cook could prepare using Cassell’s Universal Cookery Book.

The Capitol at Washington. Map of the World on Mercator’s Projection. (Puzzle, map, and view.) View: chromolithograph. Map: multi-color rotolithograph. Published by McLoughlin Bros., New York, 1888.

We recently added a unique boxed puzzle, with a view of the United States Capitol building on one side and a map of the world on the other, to our inventory. The title on the puzzle box is: “A New Dissected Map of the World with a picture puzzle of the Capitol at Washington.” It comes with a separate folded copy of the world map. The puzzle creates a striking view of the Capitol, with a blue and coral sky and lots of activity around the entrance to the Capitol. As is typical in 19th century puzzles, the outer ring of pieces all link into each other, while the inner pieces are flat-sided squares and rectangles. The puzzle was created in 1888.

The puzzle was published by McLoughlin Bros., Inc., a New-York based publishing firm, active from 1828-1920. The company was a pioneer in color printing technologies in children’s books and games. Early products were attractively hand-painted, in what was an early form of an assembly line–the line drawings were passed from artist to artist with each one responsible for coloring in one of the colors. The company later experimented with chromolithographic and multi-color rotolithographic printing techniques. McLoughlin Bros. also specialized in the retelling of classic stories, with omissions of lewder or uncouth sections, to make the story more child-friendly. By 1886, the firm was publishing a wide range of items, including chapbooks, larger picture-books, puzzles, games, and paper dolls. McLoughlin produced some of the most colorful and collectible board games in America, and was a prolific manufacturer of games until the company was bought out by Milton Bradley in 1920.

To see this item on our website, click here. You can also see it in person at our Georgetown DC gallery.

Sea Bass. (Centropristes Striatus.) By Sherman F. Denton. Chromolithograph, 1895-1909. From the New York State report entitled “Fish and Game of the State of New York.”

We recently added to our OPG inventory a large collection of fish prints by Sherman F. Denton. Denton ( 1856-1937) was born in Wellesley, Massachusetts, into a family of other famous naturalists. A knowledgeable and skilled artist, scientist, and naturalist in his own right, Sherman Denton was first hired by the U.S. Forest, Fish, and Game Commission at the turn of the century to illustrate fish of North America. His beautiful chromolithographs became the new standard to which other fish prints were judged.

Sheepshead. (Archosargus Probatocephalus). By Sherman F. Denton. Chromolithograph, c.1900. Published by the Forest, Fish and Game Commission.

His success piqued the interest of New York state government, who later commissioned him to illustrate their report titled “Fish and Game of the State of New York.” The Report was published yearly between 1895-1909. Denton is also famous for developing and patenting new methods for preserving fish, butterflies, and moths, keeping the color closer to a life-like state after mounting.

The Canadian Red Trout. (Adult Male). By Sherman F. Denton. Chromolithograph, 1895-1909. From the New York State report titled “Fish and Game of the State of New York.”

Alewife or Branch Herring. (Pomolobus Pseudoharengus). By Sherman F. Denton. Chromolithograph, 1895-1909. From the New York State report titled “Fish and Game of the State of New York.”

Female Land Locked Salmon or Quananiche. (Salmo Salar Sebago. Girard.) By Sherman F. Denton. Chromolithograph, 1895-1909. From the New York State report entitled “Fish and Game of the State of New York.”

To see more Denton prints, please visit our website. You can also see these print in person at our Georgetown gallery.

Below are several yachting prints we currently have in active inventory. While the invention of sailing is prehistoric, the racing of sailing boats is believed to have started in the 17th century Netherlands. Custom-built yachting boats became very popular in England in the 19th century, and helped to increase the popularity of the sport. For years, brilliant displays of yacht racing, like famous match-races such as The America’s Cup, have been a source of inspiration to artists. We hope you enjoy this quick round-up of prints. We have many more nautical and yachting prints in our Georgetown gallery- so we invite our readers to stop by and see these striking and beautiful prints in person.

To the Commodore & Members of the New-York Yacht Club, this Print of the YACHT AMERICA (Modelled & Built by Geo. Steers, Esq. Of New-York,) is respectfully dedicated.Published by Brown & Severin, New York. Two-stone lithograph, 1851.

In Down East Waters Boston Bay. By Fred S. Cozzens. Published by Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York. Chromolithograph, 1884.

Yachts and Barges.By George C. Wales. Soft ground, 1920.

Nina, 1928.By George C. Wales. Lithograph, 1929.

The Cutter Genesta, R.Y.S. By Charles Parsons. Published by Currier & Ives 115 Nassau St. New York. Lithograph printed in color, 1885.

The Yacht “Sappho” of New York. By Charles Parsons. Published by Currier & Ives, 115 Nassau St. New York. Lithograph, handcolored, 1869.

A Fine Day in Autumn – Miniature Yachting. Published in The Daily Graphic, New York. Wood engraving, hand colored, Nov. 13, 1879.

Today we have a new Past/Present post for our blog readers, with two prints of a man and his horse. These two pairs of travelers are alike in their solitude and the prints are alike in their fantastical use of color. Blazing reds and oranges pop against the white snow in William Dickes’ The Horse Tamer, while Leo Frank’s color woodcut Man Leading Horse offers a rich palette of deep blues, purples, and greens.

Man Leading Horse is a new print for our gallery- it was acquired during this year’s Capital Art Fair, and is now visible on our website and in person at our Georgetown shop.

Image on Left:The Horse Tamer. William Dickes. Published London. Chromolithograph, c. 1870. Good condition and color.

Image on Right: Man Leading a Horse (Untitled). Leo Frank. Color woodcut, c. 1925. Good condition with original color. Fleck in paper (from paper making process). Signed in pencil.